1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of computers, and in particular to computers having wireless peripheral devices. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for logically coupling a specific wireless peripheral device to a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an effort to make connections physically and aesthetically neater, many computer systems use wireless interfaces with peripheral devices. One popular wireless interface is known as Bluetooth®. The Bluetooth® specification is described in the “Specification of the Bluetooth System,” published 05 Nov. 2003 by Bluetooth SIG, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Bluetooth® employs a physical radio channel, which is shared by a group of devices that are synchronized to a common clock and frequency hopping pattern. A first device, typically a computer (desktop, laptop, tablet, Personal Digital Assistant—PDA, et al.) provides a synchronization reference, and is known as a master. All other devices (peripherals, other computers, et al.) are known as slaves. The master and slave together form a closely proximate (usually less than 10 meters apart) network known as a piconet, which permits radio communication between each slave and the master (but not between slaves).
To establish a radio link between the master and a slave, the master interrogates any slave that is close enough to “hear” an interrogation signal from the master. The slave responds with its Media Access Control (MAC) address, which identifies the slave. The user of the master computer then manually selects which available slave to connect to the master. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a Graphical User Interface (GUI) 100 showing icons for a printer, a keyboard and a mouse, all of which are Bluetooth® enabled and are available to (and within range of) the master. The user then double clicks the icon of each wireless peripheral device that she wishes to wirelessly couple for communication with the master (computer).
Such a system as shown in FIG. 1 is adequate if the only Bluetooth® peripheral devices within radio range of the master computer are those peripheral devices that “belong” with the master computer. However, a problem arises if the master computer receives responses from Bluetooth® enabled devices that are associated with another master computer, particularly if an automatic connection system is used. Furthermore, manual, static association (the common method for establishing Master/Slave relationship) of only selected devices (such as described in FIG. 1) is not desirable since it is cumbersome and user error-prone, since the user may not know which icon described peripheral devices “belong” to her computer. Note that such available wireless devices may be in any common proximate area, such as an adjoining cubicle, or as contemplated in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a public retail establishment.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and system that selectively logically links an authorized Bluetooth® enabled peripheral device with an appropriate master computer. Preferably, such a method and system will require minimal user intervention. In particular, what is needed is a method and system that can be used in environments in which Bluetooth® enabled devices can be interchanged and the master/slave relationship can be re-established simply and quickly.